Labor Day Dutch Oven Extravaganza!!

Our Dutch Oven Extravaganza (D.O.E.) was awesome!!

Who knew Sheehan could cook!?

It was so fun being with all of our family. The Nelsons, the Antaloczys, the Perrys, and Sheehan's parents the Walkers.

After a lesson on how to use the pioneer cookware, WE ATE....... A LOT of food all day. It was delicious!!

Our menu:
Scott's Breakfast Special, zucchini cakes, sourdough bread, jalapeno cheese bread, enchiladas, cheesy potatoes, chicken and dumplings, and HOMEMADE BUTTER!!!

Ian showing off his dutch oven skills to the ladies....

The breakfast special was personally my favorite but the enchiladas seemed to be a big hit.

Now our family is ready to trek across the U.S. What is our weapon you ask....the dutch oven?

Thank you Sheehan for all of your hard work and planning.

We will be eating dang good!

Church Callings

Sheehan D. Thomson, “The Den Leader”

Kiersten L. Thomson, “Second Counselor, Young Women’s Presidency”

Sheehan and I really do like our callings, very much.

I do enjoy getting to know the Young Women. It feels like I’m in a continuation of being the Laurel President. I am so bossy and controlling I pretty much self-appointed myself a sub-leader in my Young Women’s years. So now it doesn’t feel much different except it really is my calling. I often hear this from down the hallway, “Hey Homie, Hey Sister T.!” or “OMG, you look fabulous!”

Sheehan is the den leader….he is a big Cub Scout at heart and is living the cub scout years that he never had.

Some quotes from the Cub Scouts:

• Sheehan explaining that the pack is going to help one boy get his Arrow of Light. Justin raises his hand and says, “Don’t you think that will be kinda boring for the rest of us.”
• After making a mini marshmallow catapult, one cub yells out, “Let’s play puppy poops!” Then begins counting the marshmallows that he stuffs into his mouth until he can no longer pronounce “puppy poops”.
• Justin, “Since I was sick last week because I had a sunburn can we do Legos again this week?”
• Sheehan was carpooling a couple boys when the car broke down. Mid-breakdown Samuel says, “Why is the car shaking?...”

The Question: How is married life?

I hate this question. How in the world do you answer it?! … “Terrible. Just Terrible.” Or “Oh, it just lovely! I love being married!” Or do you stay neutral, “It’s great. Good. Reallll Good.” After these one lined statement people just smile and wait there awkwardly waiting for more detail but do they really want more detail. I don’t think so… so they say,

“Well that’s good. It’s an exciting time in your life.”

I think it is safe to say in any stage, “It’s an exciting time in your life.”

Childhood = “Obliviousness is bliss. No care in the world."

Teenage = “These are the best days of our lives.”

Adult = Don’t know a saying for this stage. Maybe it’s not so great a time. Although, I think it is, it is a time of independence, it is the one stage you are in control of your life! Do you feel empowered… I do.)

Elderly = “The Golden years.”

Disneyland !! August 24th, 2009

Disneyland !!

Said to be “The happiest places on earth!! And I very much agree with that statement!

There is something about the music, characters, rides, cookies, statues, shows, fireworks, and general happiness that makes Disneyland bring a tear to your eye. You can forget about your bills, job, and obligations; Just enjoy your day! I don’t want to hear all of the complaints about how hot it gets and how long the lines are… maybe you just don’t know how to do Disneyland like I do! Keegan, Lauren, Katie would you agree please…. Thank you. Devin's face may just be my favorite one here.

I’m an Aunt…

Alyssa had her Baby!
Kiley LaRae Perry was born on 9-9-09. Sweet birthday, eh? I thought so…

We, as in my family and I, have decided that my Aunt name will be Auntie Beetle. It may sound strange to you. I would tell someone to think twice about dubbing themselves Aunt Roach or Uncle Tarantula. Not very inviting, ya know…

Beetle has been my life long nickname with various alternatives to it. (Example: Beetle Loda) When I was learning to read I came across a picture of a Beetle in a picture book and tearfully exclaimed, “I am not a beetle! Don’t ever call me that again!” It still stuck despite my loathing the nickname, but as with many things, first we loathe it, then we tolerate it, then we embrace it… I am now at the embracing stage.

So Auntie Beetle it is!!!

Kiersten's Graduation

“Kiersten LaRae Haub

graduated from

Bakersfield College in May 2009

with an

Associate in Science degree in Biology, emphasis in Human Biology.

Magna Cum Laude.”

The crowd cheers…

My graduation was great! It was nice to have Alyssa, Sheehan and my parents there to support me.

I could not believe I was shown up by another girl as the youngest graduate as I was only 18 years old! She is 4 months younger than me and had a grade point average of 4.0. Dang it! My GPA was a 3.8.


If you have ever seen happy feet and remember the Mexican hombres, that is what the people behind me were like… but girls. To each other they were all, “Hey! Watch it, watch it, I’m graduating girl! I’m going to look so good while I’m graduating! Watch out!” All I could think of was George Lopez’s Why you crying? stand up comedy show.

Gotta love Bakersfield …